Join the Community

22,037
Expert opinions
43,964
Total members
420
New members (last 30 days)
182
New opinions (last 30 days)
28,682
Total comments

Finance 2.0

A community for discussing the application of Web 2.0 technologies to financial services.

Paul Penrose

Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra

SEB's Benche beats market downturn

SEB's Benche project fits squarely into the new model Web 2.0 world as an open community platform where trade finance professionals can participate in discussions threads and ask questions of experts and other members. The Benche gets it name from the benches used by Italian merchant bankers in the great grain markets, which became centres for hol...

/payments

Paul Penrose

Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra

The bank branch - weakest link or saving grace?

This blog recently expressed the view that, in these days of financial turmoil, banks should reposition their branch networks as a means to reinject the personal service ethos to high street banking and see off the threat from online start-ups and outsiders like supermarkets. (The bank manager versus the Web 2.0 widget) It seems I'm not alone. Se...

/retail

Paul Penrose

Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra

Welcome to the Truthpod

The Truthpod is an anonymous online polling booth in Australia that has been set up to find out what people really think about their bank. Respondents are invited to "just tell it like it is". So far 2535 have taken the poll and the majority are most upset about bank fees. The pod closes with a teaser message "Thanks for telling it ...

/retail

Paul Penrose

Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra

The bank manager versus the Web 2.0 widget

The economic downturn may lead to a surprise revival of interest and investment in branch banking, as consumers seek out personal advice and a shoulder to cry on in a recessionary climate. Seventy per cent of Lloyds TSB branch managers across the UK say that they have seen an increase in the number of customers coming through their doors to discuss...

/retail

Retired Member

Retired Member 

Near future of online banking is PFM

Wells Fargo, Bank of America, BBVA and others started personal finance management (PFM) features inside their online banking. It means that I, as a customer can analyze my spending month by month, what am i spending on travel, food, entertainment, etc. To do this, first I have to categorize my transactions, and then I can enjoy watching the nice pi...

Retired Member

Retired Member 

Next real use case for mobile banking is mobile trading

According to the report from Bank of America, their mobile banking users make account balance enquiries and one-off payments in 90% of the logins. This narrow use of the service is because: they still have to educate their customers whats more available on the mobile, or if the customer really wants to do something else, he/she will use the online...

Paul Penrose

Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra

RaboPlus offers a role model for executive blogging

Bryan Inch, the general manager of RaboPlus, the Australian Internet arm of Dutch co-operative Rabobank, has been running an executive blog for over a year. In September, he announced through the blog that he would be moving back to New Zealand and leaving the bank. He also introduced his successor, Greg McAweeny, who successfully launched RaboDir...

/retail

Retired Member

Retired Member 

Free mobile phone for mobile banking? Wow!

Reading the post from Brandon McGee, I was amazed that a bank is giving away quite good level new mobile phones to use their mobile banking. Sure, you have to open an account and sign for 2 years. http://brandonmcgee.blogspot.com/2008/10/regions-mobile-banking-free-phone.html What can be the reasons behind? 1. The 2-year relationship will bring the...

Paul Penrose

Paul Penrose Head of Research at Finextra

NAB's social media meltdown

National Australia Bank's brave experiment with social media appears to have blown up in its face. NAB initially set up myfuturebank.org (now sadly deceased) to engage with customers online and listen to their experiences of using the bank. But faced with the inevitable critical comments that tend to surface in such a public forum, the bank seems t...

/retail

Retired Member

Retired Member 

Deal Idea: PFM Acquisition of Billeo

There are scores of start-ups in the emerging financial technology space, many of which provide substantially overlapping services, and all of which are, at some level, free. As we move through the current crisis on Wall Street into whatever awaits on the other side one thing is clear: start-ups will need to spend their equity capital wisely, as ...

/payments

Now Hiring